See Through, Airless Tires By Michelin; No More Flat Tires
I love new technology. This has got to be the greatest breakthrough in automobile technology since airbags. Well, maybe.
Michelin has developed a new airless tire that never goes flat. They kind of look a little flimsy but they are definately cool as he((. I wonder how much they are going to cost. Here’s some photos.
Radical new tire design by Michelin. The next generation of tires. They had a pair at the Philadelphia car show.
These tires are airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon.
The bad news for law enforcement is that spike strips will not work on these tires.
This is what great R&D will do, and just think of the impact on existing technology: A. no more air valves…
B. no more air compressors at gas stations…
C. no more repair kits…
D. no more flats…
Scroll down & see. These are actual pictures taken in the South Carolina plant of Michelin.
great Idea, especially for the winter time when nobodies pump is working.
Whoa those are crazy looking, I wonder how well they take corners.
Cool, looks good, sounds good…
How much is it gona cost?
Will they be made to be mounted on normal rims?
what about Durability?
Just wondering.
What happens when snow , mud and ice collect inside the open framework? If I leave my car outside in the snow how will the car perform when I get on the freeway tomorrow morning with all the snow collected inside the wheel? It will be off balance causing vibration until the snow is thrown clear. What about other passers-by getting hit with my jettesonning debris? Think about mud… If I get a set on my SUV and do a little 4 wheel driving I could easily pack 200 pounds of mud in the turbine looking holes. That would make my axles very heavy and possibly strip a differential or break a CV or shaft…. They are cool looking but I think I’ll leave them to the kids and gangstas who are more concerned with style than substance.
good point
To get an approach to your question Keith, I guess that the sides of these new tires could be covered by a similar material. I think that if there’s no air inside, then anything could cover the gap between the rim and the end of the tire because no pressure will be trapped inside. Like a round-courtain…
In winter time this tire will not work.
These pics are years old. When I saw this article in the early 2000s, they said they were coming out soon … We’ll see I guess!
You guys bring up a lot of brilliant questions about these tires.
If I had to guess, I’d say the hundreds of engineers who have been working on these tires for several years never once thought to test how they handle different road conditions, turns, and snow. It stands to reason that Michelin’s lawyers never considered the liability of flying debris.
Thank god the internet is full of smart and insightful people to point out such obvious problems!
How would other tires that aren’t made for snow, handle snow?
These tires aren’t being shown as snow tires. If you use them in snow or mud, you’re just stupid.
They look like modified wagon wheels from the 1800’s and prior. What’s old is new again.
I saw these tires a couple of years ago… Back then i heard they were having problems with noise. I can imagine that these tires are quite noisy. Looking forward to see them on the market though!
It CLEARLY SAYS/SHOWS in the blue pic that there is a SHEER BAND protecting the “spokes”!
READ
I’d like to see them for a motorcycle, though I doubt they could handle the stress on turns. A blow out on a car is one thing but a blow out on a bike can be deadly.
I actually think they would work better in the rain. They would be less likely to cause your car to float off.
It wouldn’t surprise me if some a-hole judge made hem illegal simply because cops couldn’t use spike strips on them, governor chip any one?
Looks like something that belongs on a stealth jet.
I think it would not be a very smooth ride, compared to a regular aired tire, because of the spokes creating restriction.
and as mentioned above, the noise… but, for blow outs, it would be pretty safe to say, improbable “no air pressure, no blow”
Practical? I don`t know.
Economical? who knows? I don`t think so right now.
I kind of question the affect on gas mileage. I would think these tires would cause more aero drag.
I sure hope I can still get white-walls!
Is the rubber replacable or do you have to replace the whole unit ? At what cost ?
Kids will, definately, see how they are in Power starts and heavy brake stops. Also see how they are in Sharp turns like Cherios.
Personally, I wouldn’t want anything to do with them.
If anyone has found a dealer for the see-thru tyre, please send me email at rclbrz2211 (at) (aol) (.com)
Thnks
такую хрень заебешься мыть если что =) так что это исключительно для хороших дорог
Looks like a really good idea and would be even better if one was able to design a tire like this to serve all kinds of drivers. I understand the whole design and set up, however, I was curiouse to know if flat spotting has been an issue during the testing? What is the max weight limit you think this could be used for, with further testing of course?
Josh: Heck I don’t know. What does flat spotting mean? They don’t look like they could hold much weight do they? Maybe if they used bigger dimensions. I’d be curious to know how strong they are if they’re made bigger like a truck tire. Interesting observation. I havent heard much more about these since I first started this post. Maybe someone has some more info.